SpectaculART 2: Virtual auction set on October 1-3

Art lovers, attention! Here's your chance to get hold of rare pieces in Santuario de San Antonio Parish's SpectaculART 2 - a fund-raising virtual auction. The event will be live on their website www.spectaculartph.com.

This year, keep your eye on pristine and pre-loved art, jewelry, and homeware. Fine Jewelry, Estate, Artisan and an assortment of diamonds, pearls, and colored stones are up for grabs.

 

The homeware collection will feature European, Asian, and locally sourced pieces ranging from antique, vintage, and contemporary furniture and home décor.

Nganga Betel Nut Set

Thai Low Chairs and Table Set

SpectaculART 2 will also showcase a carefully curated selection of meaningful works created by esteemed artists namely: National Artist for Visual Art Carlos “Botong” Francisco, Impy Pilapil, Romeo Tabuena, and Anita Magsaysay Ho. Unique pieces by renowned Filipino Visual Artists Gus Albor, Ramon Diaz, Jojo Guingona, Noli Principe Manalang, Isabel Campa, Ivy Lim and Marivic Rufino are pooled together in a celebration of Philippine Art in the last few decades. Unique prints by Salvador Dali and John Lennon will also be for sale.

 

SpectaculART 2 also gathers numerous up-and-coming artists to give them an opportunity to reach a wider audience and also to showcase their work. They may just dominate the scene in the years to come. A bid on their work gives a heartwarming sense of validation and accomplishment. A ray of positivity and inspiration during these troubled times. A win-win situation.

SpectaculART kicked off its first edition last year in response to the pandemic and the quarantine restrictions imposed upon us.

The proceeds of the auction shall assist in the numerous Social Services and development ministries of SSAP and its sister parishes.

For more information, visit Instagram.com/SpectaculArt.ph, Facebook.com/SpectaculArt.ph or email hello@spectaculartph.com

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Viu gets exclusive rights to One Ordinary Day

Viu announces that the highly anticipated Korean crime-thriller drama, One Ordinary Day, will be exclusively available on its platform. After announcing a series of high profile Viu Korean Original series like Lovers of The Red Sky and Now We are Breaking Up, Viu brings yet another much-awaited K-drama to its audiences.

Set to premiere on Viu on November 27, 2021, One Ordinary Day boasts some of South Korea’s top actors, including Kim Soo-hyun, who last starred in the hit K-drama It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, veteran actor Cha Seoung-won, and Less Than Evil actress Lee Seol.

 The stellar cast headlines One Ordinary Day, which is based on the gripping British drama Criminal Justice. In the Korean remake, the story revolves around two men whose lives change completely after a woman is found murdered. Kim Soo-hyun plays an ordinary college student Kim Hyun-soo who, after one drunken night of fun, finds himself the prime suspect in the gruesome murder of a woman he had spent the night with. With all circumstantial evidence pointing at him and the case receiving increasing scrutiny in the media and on social media, the prosecution is eager to declare him guilty.

The only person who comes forward to take his case is Shin Joong-han (played by Cha Seoung-won), a small-time lawyer who barely passed the bar exam. He decides to help Hyun-soo on his intuition that he is innocent. With the odds stacked against them, the pair must put up an intense fight to bring justice and reveal the real perpetrator in a case that will not only change their lives, but also shake the criminal justice system of the country.

One Ordinary Day is produced by Chorokbaem Media (Penthouse, Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung), Studio M and Gold Medalist (It’s Okay to Not Be Okay). Written by Kwon Soon-gyu (The Royal Gambler, Warrior Baek Dong Soo, Jackpot), the drama is directed by established director, Lee Myung-woo (Backstreet Rookie, The Fiery Priest, Punch, Whisper).

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WorldVision and PascualLab join hands in empowering children

Six months after international non-profit organization World Vision joined hands with
Pascual Laboratories, Inc. (PascualLalb), the organization has been able to help 77 more children to enable themselves to choose their future via the program Chosen™

Chosen™ the campaign which was launched last year in various World Vision offices, has been changing lives around the world by empowering children to contribute to the course of their future by giving them the power to choose their sponsors.

 PascualLab, one of the top-of-mind pharma companies for health and wellness products and manufacturing services, known for its unwavering passion for health and life, shares in World Vision’s belief that every child deserves access to healthcare, nutrition, and quality education.

Roy Gerona from PascualLab’s manufacturing plant shares. “It is emotionally rewarding. We feel so blessed that we are given a chance to sponsor a child. We were created by God for a mission,” Wife Almerlyn who also works for PascualLab affirms that one of these missions is charity work: “It is a great feeling to be able to help others”. As parents, they are also happy to show their kids the value of education through Child Sponsorship.

Almerlyn and Roy Gerona

Corporate social responsibility has always been a part of PascualLab’s values and the partnership with World Vision allows employees to live out this value.

“It is an honor for me to be a part of a company that is able to hold on to its commitment for social responsibility despite the pandemic,” testifies Juan dela Cruz (not his real name), one of the employees of PascualLab’s subsidiary Leonie Agri Corp.

Although the pandemic has affected Chosen’s™ launch in early 2020, World Vision was still able to help 255 children find sponsors. The Chosen™ Campaign created a venue for PascualLab staff to help change the lives of children, even at the height of the spread and challenges of COVID-19.

“When the pandemic broke out, it unveiled the great divide between rich and poor in our country. Many have struggled and many are still struggling. Being able to assist someone in our own little way could impact their lives more than we could ever know,” Brithanie Urquico from PascualLab’s corporate office agrees. “I am content and happy to be able to make a difference, especially now that even the smallest of efforts truly counts,” she adds.

Brithanie Urquico

The partnership is also part of PascualLab’s 75th-anniversary celebration, wherein the Pascual family and employees were inspired to share some #PascualLove by giving back and doing something meaningful for their hometown, Malabon. Through the partnership with World Vision, PascualLab’s employees experienced being chosen by children from the child-focused, assisted community in Malabon.

The partnership was sealed in a Memorandum of Agreement signed last April, where 125 PascualLab employees committed to sponsoring children. This new and effective way in child sponsorship through Chosen™ is not only transforming the lives of the sponsored children but also of the sponsors.
“Giving a child the power to choose is like allowing them to create the future that they want. It’s a critical part of our self-development, and each one of the choices that we make shapes our experiences and brings us to where we want to be in our life,” says Angelie Paje of Pascual Consumer HealthCare, Corp.

Angelie Paje

Currently, both World Vision and PascualLab are also endeavoring to make the holiday season more meaningful for the children through letter-writing and other initiatives in the pipeline.

“We at World Vision are grateful to PascualLab for becoming a part of the Chosen™ child sponsorship campaign. This collaboration is a blessing as we achieve hope, joy and justice for all children,” says World Vision National Director Rommel V. Fuerte.

To know how you can change a child’s life by signing up to be Chosen™, you may visit https://www.worldvision.org.ph/chosen/.

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Warner Bros releases first trailer of The Matrix Resurrections

Neo is back, and grew his hair longer, in the trailer of The Matrix Resurrections - the fourth film in the franchise from visionary Lana Wachowski. The film reunites original stars Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Ann Moss as Neo and Trinity in this sci-fi action movie. The initial poster brings back the popular red and blue pill which Neo has to choose to fulfill his destiny.

The Matrix Resurrections also stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Christina Ricci, Telma Hopkins, Eréndira Ibarra, Toby Onwumere, Max Riemelt, Brian J. Smith, and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Lana Wachowski directed from a screenplay by Wachowski & David Mitchell & Aleksander Hemon, based on characters created by The Wachowskis. The film was produced by Grant Hill, James McTeigue and Lana Wachowski. The executive producers were Garrett Grant, Terry Needham, Michael Salven, Jesse Ehrman and Bruce Berman. Watch the trailer below:

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents, In Association with Village Roadshow Pictures, In Association with Venus Castina Productions, “The Matrix Resurrections.” The film will be distributed worldwide, including the Philippines, by Warner Bros. Pictures.

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All-star cast to save the world in Don't Look Up

Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Jonah Hill, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Timothee Chalamet, Ariana Grande, and more, star in an apocalyptic dark comedy movie coming to Netflix this December. Check out the first look images for the movie Don't Look Up.

 

 

Don't Look Up tells the story of Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence), an astronomy grad student, and her professor Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) make an astounding discovery of a comet orbiting within the solar system. The problem — it’s on a direct collision course with Earth. The other problem? No one really seems to care. Turns out warning mankind about a planet-killer the size of Mount Everest is an inconvenient fact to navigate. With the help of Dr. Oglethorpe (Rob Morgan), Kate and Randall embark on a media tour that takes them from the office of an indifferent President Orlean (Meryl Streep) and her sycophantic son and Chief of Staff, Jason (Jonah Hill), to the airwaves of The Daily Rip, an upbeat morning show hosted by Brie (Cate Blanchett) and Jack (Tyler Perry). With only six months until the comet makes impact, managing the 24-hour news cycle and gaining the attention of the social media obsessed public before it’s too late proves shockingly comical — what will it take to get the world to just look up?! Watch the trailer below:

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Zipping up the pants in Sex Education Season 3

The students of Moordale meet their new headteacher who will zip up their pants, keep their undies on, and creating a barrier between boys and girls in the latest season of Sex Education. Season 3 arrives on Netflix on September 17.

It's the new year, Otis is having casual sex, Eric and Adam are official, and Jean has a baby on the way. Meanwhile, new headteacher Hope (played by Jemima Kirke) tries to return Moordale to a pillar of excellence, Aimee discovers feminism, Jackson gets a crush, and a lost voicemail still looms. Prepare for commitment animals, alien phenomena, vulva cupcakes, and much more of Madam Groff. Watch the trailer below.

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Artists celebrate La Casa De Papel with paper art

I received a La Casa De Papel kit last week in preparation for Part 5 Vol 1 of the show that aired September 3 and it includes an origami kit named after the Professor. I don't have much skills in origami or paper cutting of some sort but a few artists, in partnership with Netflix, created great art with the materials inspired of course by the show.

Patrick Cabral

First was this paper mansion from Patrick Cabral with intricate borders and detailed windows for the Royal Mint. He describes it as "The embodiment of the enemy. The corrupt system. I like the juxtaposition of something so powerful with something fragile like paper."

John Ed De Vera

Next is this artwork entitled Plan Chernobyl from John Ed De Vera. He uses the symbolism of the blimp that was used (to release 140 million Euros over Madrid) as a distraction in Part 3, while the Dali Mask, as we all know, has become an iconic symbol of resistance that has inspired a lot of people to fight with the Professor and the team. The red money coming out of the blimp forms the jumpsuit holding the blimp. The overall visual imagery is my personal homage to surrealism.

Mansy Abesamis

This intricate Dali mask with the lyrics of Bella Ciao is made by Mansy Abesamis. He says, "Bella Ciao is the gang’s battle cry! It unites and makes them stronger as a unit. They’re able to overcome every challenge, every twist, every dead end because of this. And this is even reinforced by the Dali mask and the red jumpsuit – a symbol of resistance against the system. It’s also a great equalizer. It’s a reminder that the thieves and hostages actually want the same thing – to be free from the system." to describe his work. He also created a Bank of Spain paper art.

Lastly, Sarjit Singh created two pieces - The first is the Professor’s red origami bird, which has played a big role in the show from the very beginning. He, as a lover of Origami artwork, was so happy to see it featured so prominently in such a popular show, and he hopes it inspired many others to try Origami themselves.

Sarjit Singh

The second is Inspector Alicia Sierra’s teddy bear from Part 3, which she strategically used to take down Nairobi because it belonged to her son.

Vol 2 of Part 5 of La Casa De Papel will be streamed only on Netflix this December.

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MOVIE REVIEW - Cinderella (2021)

We have seen a lot of adaptations of the fairy tale Cinderella and Amazon Prime's version takes us into a surprise. The movie that was released in the streaming app on September 3 not just gave us a dose of magic that we needed, but it livened up the senses for a musical production with a modern twist.

The start already sets the mood for a good musical with Rhythm Nation cover by the ensembles. While some songs have a pop-py arrangement like Somebody to Love, Material Girl, and more, 2 original songs are also great to hear with their unique melodies. But I'm so thankful that they stopped Pierce Brosnan to belt a tune -- which I think is an inside joke here.

Cinderella stars Camila Cabello in the title role but instead of the character that we are accustomed to, this girl has her dreams. Think about having the skills and won't really need a man and she knows how to rely on her own. Idina Menzel playing the stepmother is somewhat likable and not too mean compared to Cate Blanchett's Lady Tremaine. Media favorite Billy Porter gave his entertaining portrayal of the rather fierce fairy godmother as the Fab Godmother. Prince Robert (Nicholas Galitzine) on the other hand, while belts out good tunes for his songs, comes as either the one being saved here. It was a very different approach on the characters by Kay Cannon which main aim is to entertain.

Nicholas Galitzine and Camila Cabello

Charlotte Spencer, Idina Menzel and Maddie Baillio

Overall, Cinderella's beguiling show also sets some underlying themes if you assess it deeper. Women making their choices, being strong and wiser could deserve a nod for many audience.

Cinderella is now streaming in Amazon Prime.

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First trailer of Netflix's Red Notice

After the first look in July, Netflix has released the first trailer of Red Notice featuring Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot in a action-heist movie.

In the Red Notice, FBI issues a red notice in search of the world's most wanted and John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson), the top profiler gets on the case. He is forced to team up with the world's greatest art thief Nolan Boothe (Ryan Reynolds) to hunt for the most wanted art thief The Bishop (Gal Gadot). The high-flying adventure that ensues takes the trio around the world, across the dance floor, trapped in a secluded prison, into the jungle, and worst of all for them, constantly into each other’s company. Watch the trailer below.

John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson)

Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds)

The Bishop (Gal Gadot)

The all-star cast is joined by Ritu Arya and Chris Diamantopolous. Directed and written by Rawson Marshall Thurber (Central Intelligence, Skyscraper) and produced by Hiram Garcia, Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia of Seven Bucks Productions, Beau Flynn’s Flynn Picture Co. and Thurber’s Bad Version, Inc., Red Notice is a stylish globe-trotting game of cat-and-mouse (and cat) to be released this November.

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No child's play in Squid Game

What would you do for 45.6 billion won (1.9T PHP)? In the new Netflix series Squid Game, you will literally risk your life. The trailer and ensemble poster give us a hint on this exciting story.

If you're into some gruesome stuff with a combination of The Hunger Games and The Platform, we might like the Squid Game. With its society and capitalist themes mixed with our innocent child games, I can already envision that this will be a top hit. Watch the intriguing trailer below:

Squid Game is directed and written by Hwang Dong-hyuk.  Starring Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Oh Young-soo, Wi Ha-Jun, Jung Ho-yeon, Heo Sung-tae, Tripathi Anupam, Kim Joo-ryoung, and more. Schedule for release on September 17.

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